Reunited Love and Memories
by Sachiko V
Summary: Well, it's my little perspective on the ending...first ch.1 ending off after Zidane left to save Kuja. (UNDONE)


Reunited Love and Memories   
~ On Hilde Garde 3 ~  
By Sachiko  
Disclaimer: I do not own the FFIX characters, which belong to Squaresoft!  
  
This is my view of the ending, before and during that "Some time later..." I hope it isn't too bad of a job ^_^;  
This chapter takes place after Zidane was dropped off at the Iifa Tree to save Kuja... Please R+R!  
  
~~~  
As she watched him fade away from her sight, as she watched him walk away to save her sworn enemy but his only brother, Kuja, her heart sank to the depths of sadness. Dagger - no, Garnet til Alexandros 17th, who was going to become queen of Alexandria - set her heart on someone she was leaving behind. He was more precious to her than anything else, and the distance between him and Dagger was becoming farther apart. She left behind Zidane, her lover.  
  
Hilde Garde 3 flew smoothly away from the cliff at the Iifa Tree. Dagger stared into the sunset sky to search for something she wanted to find as a pair of white doves danced swiftly together in midair. She doesn't even know what must her feelings be to depart from Zidane, how she must feel for him... It was all a blur to her. As Dagger gasped her stress to her comfort, she recalled Zidane's face before they separated. He has that lovesome smile on his face, but it reflected sadness, something painful, and love. He had watched her face smiling back at him, and there was Dagger trying to expose a nice smile. The only thing Dagger left him with was a glimpse of her sad, tearing face and eyes with fear. Zidane knew she was going to cry, and as Dagger recollect the memory, she cried in tears silently, "Zidane..."  
  
The others, Steiner, Vivi, Freya, Eiko, Amarant, and Quina were aboard as well. Everyone, surprisingly even Amarant, noticed and was moved by Dagger's depression over Zidane, for she may lose him forever. They all had their own hopes and goals ahead of them to accomplish and their minds laid on the future. Where shall their next path lead them? However, the party also knew as well as Dagger that there was a priceless value adding to their lives after traveling with Zidane, that he influenced them all. Zidane changed parts of their lives and gave them hopes to carry on everytime they had stresses. Now that Zidane was gone, things wouldn't be the same, and all of them felt it. Quiet lives, and not as much thrilling adventures... without the active and carefree Zidane. But the sadness Dagger possessed was something even more...  
  
"Dagger, don't cry. Zidane will come back! I just know it!" Eiko said to her, trying to to cheer Dagger up. She placed a hand on Dagger's arm and smiled, "He won't break his promise!"  
  
As anyone would feel after someone saying a word to that person when crying, a mist of comfort touched her mind but still couldn't stop these tears from coming. Even though the words were pleasing to hear, a heavy uncomfortable pressure took over Dagger, that every word she spoke, more tears were pushed out, and it became very painful for her. "I...thanks, Eiko. But, I don't want...I didn't want to leave Zidane behind! It was too much for me!!" she cried out, "I don't know what my feelings are now..."  
  
"Dagger, please don't cry," Vivi repeated Eiko's words, "I...I'm confused too, but not as much as before, because I traveled with you and Zidane. I'm very glad I did, and...I am going to miss him very much, too. But I feel very sad watching you cry, Dagger... I feel as if I want to cry too."  
  
The princess sobbed lighter as she heard the innocent words from the young Blackmage. She looked at Vivi, whose head was down and both hands curled together in front of him. Wyping away the tears on her cheeks, she said to him, "...I'm sorry, Vivi," she pondered what to say next, "I just do not know what should I do now."  
  
"Fear not, Princess. A lot of us don't know what will we do next. But I know that I will always be at your side and protect you. That is my sworn fealty to you, Princess!" Steiner stated with a tone of honesty but changed into a tenor of bother, "That monkey-tail is such a ridiculous fool to go and save Kuja, even though they may be brothers, I must say."  
  
"Steiner..."  
  
"...Why do you care about that simpleton anyway? Sometimes, you could never interprete his ways of thinking. Damn... what could he accomplish through saving Kuja? That is, if he survives out there... He's hopeless," Amarant protested, arms crossed in front of his chest.  
  
Dagger was out of words and choked up. Perhaps Amarant was right. What could Zidane get from rescuing his dying brother? Perhaps, he had his own personal reasons to do so, Dagger thought. Maybe Zidane was a nitwit to even do such thing, but his reasons were to none of her concerns. "Will I ever see you again, Zidane?" she whispered to herself. As she came up with even more questions to her confusions, the thoughts pierced her mind and her throat felt as if something was stuck in it. She gave out a big deep breath. If only she knew how to prevent those wondering tears from running again... Eiko, realizing Dagger's state, demanded Amarant to take those words back, "Do you know how she feels right now for Zidane, Amarant? Well you don't, but it's love!"  
  
"..."  
  
"Ohhh nevermind! How could someone as hardheaded as you know about love? And..."  
  
"...who said I don't know about love?!" Amarant let loose his arms.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Being a heck of a looser as I was before, the only markings in my life were combats, power. What's there to love?" He diverted toward the sky, "I didn't know about love... But I see the affection of friendship Zidane has. I don't know exactly the love between him and that princess, but that idiot, he doesn't care to risk his life if it means to save people, even if they are his enemies..."  
  
"You've changed, Amarant," Freya uttered, "I guess Zidane had influenced you as well."  
  
"...I guess so. I lost my last battle with him because I didn't understand his virtue."  
  
"Zidane, everyone is so fond of you..." sighed Dagger once again.  
  
No one spoke for the moment, and their voices fell dead to their ears. They only heard the rumbling sound of the Hilda Garde 3 engine. Worry becan to rise in each of them as a portion of the golden sky slowly blended into a patch of shadowy blue. A chill of wind coming from the east ruffled like a falling leaf. Steiner grew impatient and stomped into the engine room. There was Regent Cid pacing back and forth, left and right. At once, Steiner could sense the hot breeze of the engine blowing at his face, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling for a knight in full armor. Joggling both of his fists at Cid, he yelled out," Are we there yet, sir!?"  
  
Regent Cid replied, "I'm sorry, Master Steiner. But all those battles with the nova dragons really killed the engine. Please be patient."  
  
As Steiner returned to the deck, Dagger told him that she could wait and didn't have to worry.  
  
The Tantalus brothers, Blank and Marcus were standing in the back of the ship for look-out, while Baku and the others remained in the engine room to work on some fixing. Like the rest of the party, they all missed Zidane. If they lost Zidane, they lost their left arm. All of them, besides Baku, looked up to him as a kind of big brother. He was the humor in their group, the one that mostly entertained them if boredom took over. Zidane, one of the first boys to join Tantalus, was the first one to leave, but now, they may never see him again, join or leave... Zidane's survival and their next step were the only two things roaming in their minds. Instead of losing faith in him, they were building hopes and hoping for the day of Zidane's return. If only the Tantalus boys didn't mind making women out of themselves, at least one of them would've shed a tear already, but such a thing wasn't mentioned. Blank, along with Baku, went to the front to check on Dagger and the others. Blank said the first word, "Hey, you guys. What's up?"  
  
"Hi, Blank," Vivi greeted back.  
  
"Hi, Vivi. I'm glad you all made it back in one piece."  
  
Steiner confronted up to Blank and Baku grudgely, "I-I'm terribly sorry for my rude self before...! I apologize for only calling you all...theives."  
  
Baku laughed, "So ya finally look up to us, eh? Gwahaahaahaa!!! If I remember correctly, you'd said once to me that the Alexandria Castle wasn't for us theives, even though Zidane protected your princess, and we saved your neck!" Steiner immediately blushed and turned around with hands behind his back.  
  
"Well, I shall reconsider that. Tantalus is welcome at the Alexandria Castle anytime! Is that alright with you, Princess?" After Garnet approved it, Baku let out another of his hysterical laughs and headed back to the engine room. Blank adviced them to rest before the ship arrives, and he returned to the back. Steiner began to carry a light, cheerful thought with him. He actually gave such an offer to a bunch of theives, but theives that did so much for him and Princess Garnet! Wasn't that too much? He used to hate Tantalus so much, for they planned that little scheme to kidnap the princess. Steiner remembered how ashame and disgraceful he felt when the same bunch of theives rescued him and protected Garnet, not regarding that his job was to protect her. What a disgrace! Such doings made him look bad, unskilled, not worth to be an Alexandrian knight that carried the duty of protecting his kingdom. Yet, Steiner realized that he had not paid for all their hard works and efforts. Tantalus chose to help them, not only because of Zidane. Steiner admitted that he started to like Tantalus. Due to his surprise, he omitted a laugh as well, "Hahaha...those theives! If we never had met Zidane yesterday, there wouldn't be a today!" Did he say more than he needed to? The Alexandrian knight glanced at his princess, who appeared to be sweeping her face with her white sleeve. "M-my apology, Your Highness."  
  
Garnet replied, "No, it's ok," she attempted to smile for everyone, "This was such a fun trip, a trip that I shall never forget."  
  
"Neither will I," Vivi added. He was also lost in thoughts. With a sudden quiver of anxiety, he whispered, "I'm shivering again..." His heart pumped faster than he realized, and numbness seemed to be spreading in him. He wrapped his arms around himself and felt motionless. He was scared, not knowing it. "Am I stopping...or is this a feeling?"  
  
Eiko walked toward Vivi and asked, "Are you okay?"  
  
"...Y-yeah. I'm okay."  
  
"No you're not! You're scared. You're worried! Scared if Zidane will come back or not, and worried about him, you, and us!! How can you not realize that, Vivi?"  
  
Vivi reluctantly answered, "Maybe...because I'm a Black Mage. Black Mages are said...to have no feelings."  
  
Eiko jumped in frustration, "But you do have feelings!!!"  
  
Vivi's eyes implied a brighter shade. How could Eiko understand him so well? She read about every parts of his problem. "R-really? Maybe I've had feelings all along, but I'd never recognize them. I feel them, but I don't know what they are...Sometimes, it takes to know my feelings."  
  
"Kuja told you those bunch of junks, didn't he? Neither you nor the other Black Mages should've listened! Vivi, you may be the first Black Mage to feel! Heehee."  
  
"You think so, Eiko? Then I think I know what I will do next. I'm gonna go to the Black Mage Village and teach the other Black Mages what I have learned, that they aren't puppets, and correct Kuja's lies to them! ...Thanks, Eiko."  
  
"Huh? For what?" Anyway, I still don't get why Zidane would go save that wicked man!"  
  
"He said that deep down inside him, he know must do that..."  
  
Dagger was speechless.  
  
Amarant proclaimed uncaringly, "...cuz he's stupid."  
  
There was always an argument gap between him and Eiko, a hidden one, maybe a special one. Always an argument started a dialogue, rather an offending statement to Eiko. Though he once said he hates kids, his "dull", quiet, somwhat with disturbance of an expression only acted as a disguise. Behind that mask, he giggled at Eiko's frustrated face. Amarant enjoyed watching her to flare up and teasing her. Is he not softened? Typically, Eiko was the first to respond to his negative remark, "No he's not! You know he's not! He was a very caring heart and nature and you know that!!"  
  
"......" He knew she spoke the truth.  
  
"Zidane knows what he's doing!" cried Dagger. Her words took everyone's attention. Her face stiffened, and she bit on her lips. Those eyes, they shimmered. The hands beside her curled up into fists. As sadness stacks up, men use different ways to sweep it away. Some use light to shade the dark, and a fire to warm the cold hearts. Dagger was shielding the shades of gloom using a flame of anger, toiling to fight her sadness back and hiding it. She breathed with a sound of hesitation.  
  
"...does he really mean that much to you?"  
  
"Zidane... he cared for me, for all of us, and now for Kuja. There's scarcely anyone like him! How can I bare to leave him there? ...He went to save Kuja because he must feel the same as me when my mother was in danger."  
  
"...do you mean that...Queen Brahne?"  
  
"Yes. I wanted to save my mother, even though she had the greed, because she was the only mother I had... I didn't want to lose her, no matter what! Zidane must feel that way towards Kuja."  
  
"But don't you despite Kuja?" asked Freya as she stepped up to Dagger.  
  
"Of course I do!" Dagger pushed forward, "But I know Zidane hated my mother as well, as much as I hate Kuja. There was no way I could've stopped him from going to save Kuja...even if I wanted to so badly..."  
  
"You miss him, don't you Dagger...?" the tone of Freya's voice was pitiful.  
  
"Yes..." she trailed off very shortly and gulped in despair with her head down, not wanting to manifest her tears.  
  
Freya frowned, showing a sound of regret, and turned around, "I will never forgive Zidane if he does not return to you, Dagger...if you must go through my pain."  
  
"Freya?"  
  
"...A man that I knew, who I had been searching for all these years... He left me with no traces of his where-abouts," Freya faced the sky, and her long Burmecian muzzle was clearly shown," I waited and waited, but he never came back..."  
  
"Then...what happened?"  
  
"I searched everywhere only to hear rumors of him and even his death, but he was never found. Then one day, he appeared suddenly in front of us...with no memories of the past at all..."  
  
It was Dagger's turn to pity Freya as Freya retold briefly her past.  
  
"I won't allow such a mistake to happen to you, if you have to wait for the man you love for so long! I don't want you to go through such a sadness and grieve for the rest of your life." Freya looked at Dagger with eyes of determination as she spoke, but behind her eyes sealed her regretful sadness.  
  
Dagger, who never really did learn Freya's past, was partly strengthened by Freya's words but still piteous. To know someone with a similar pain, the lonely feeling of loss wasn't pressing onto her as hard, for she has bottled it up all to herself. That pressuring thought... "Freya, I'm so sorry that I made you to tell me our past. I didn't..."  
  
Freya sniffed and sighed softly. "No, it's alright. Dagger, keep your faith in Zidane because I believe he will come back."  
  
"Thanks, I will," she paused a moment, "What will you do now?"  
  
"I shall help to rebuild my kingdom, so it will become a stronger one. I must not fail Burmecia again! If sir Fratley comes back to our kingdom, I'll do my best to encourage him."  
  
Not only was Dagger listening to her story, but those who hadn't learned of it listened as well. They were Eiko, Amarant, and Steiner. "Wow! You must've lots of experiences with love! That was like a tragic fairy tale..." Eiko said and dozed in a daydream, "Teach me some tips or something!! But I have to say that your boyfriend was so inconsiderate to leave you!"  
  
"She's right. And if you want to regain his memories, you're on a hopeless journey. You could just kiss your butt good-bye if that's what you're thinking..." Amarant said suddenly.  
  
Freya grasped onto her holy lance tightly and responded indignantly, "Even if it may be, I'm in no mood of giving up, and my business is no concern of yours!"  
  
Amarant got into his fighting stance, "Short-tempered as always..."  
  
Eiko stood between them and ordered them to stop. "Geez...ain't I the troublemaker around here...? Come on, break it up people!" The two of them caught their tempered turned away from each other, still bared those rivalry faces. Their eyes were alert, as if a speeding strike would hit them any minute.  
  
Freya turned to Eiko to reply her, "Well, if you want love hints, I would not be the right person to ask. Zidane knows much more than me, but if you want a word from me, my little tip for you is this. You must continue to be strong even if your lover isn't with you."  
  
The little summoner, as if by a spell, danced up into the air. Her eyes sparkled as she imagined more of her romantic dreams just by hearing the Burmecian's words, and then she closed them. She placed her hands upon her chest, asking herself when will she realize her future prince. After a silent pray, Eiko stood beside Dagger and laid her hands upon the smooth wooden edge of the ship, then laid her head on top of them. She allowed the wind to blow her hair and breathed into it, giving her a fresh new thought and view. Eiko could picture what her future might be like, or rather, was planning it for her own self, as how a childish mind was like. Vivi watched her. "Dagger, I'll wait for Zidane with you, if you don't kind. I dunno if I'll ever go back to Madain Sari, but I will... I mean...! I will go back there, but I won't live there anymore, cuz I don't want to be alone anymore. I'll go check on the moogles some time, but..." her hands were folded behind her, face down, "...if you don't mind, may I hang around with you for a while?"  
  
"Hehe...sure. I will be needing some company before I become queen." Dagger chuckled.  
  
"Speaking of Madain Sari, isn't that weirdo partner girl of Amarant's -"  
  
"Lani..." Amarant interrupted.  
  
"- Lani, isn't she there?"  
  
"...I'll be getting her."  
  
Within less than a minute, Regent Cid paced to the deck, informing them that they would arrive at Lindblum very soon. There skies were getting darker, and the air grew colder but comfortable to the face. What they were seeing weren't the Mists, but the darkening thick smokes flowing were clouds, just regular clouds. As they entered into the Mist Continent, remains of the Mists still covered the land like a thin ashen blanket, but they were fading gradually. The arrival at Lindblum was a save one. Everyone rested under the luxurious roofs of the Lindblum castle and received great services. The wounds were taken cared of and healed, with daily meals of king-sized dishes shared by everyone. Quina attempted to cook in the kitchen and decided to become the chief chef of Alexandria's Castle. Uncle Cid, with great confidence of the repair of Hilda Garde 3, determined to offer a trip in the ship to each one of their destinations. Witnessing peace returning to Gaia, in their minds, they know few combats were expected in the future. They were no longer needed to determine the meanings of their lives, to carry on their lives. From their journey, meeting lots of allies and comrades, creating memories, everyone's minds were set. To wait and see what lied ahead...  
~~~  
  
Well, that's end of Ch1. How did you like it? I know all of us wonder the same of what happened between the "gap" in the end, so I made this little prediction of the ending.  



End file.
